http://www.amazon.com/Richters-Scale-Measure-Earthquake-Man/dp/0691128073/sr=8-1/qid=1172067916/ref=sr_1_1/102-2086626-3241769

I heard of it a few weeks ago, but took a while to find it in the
bookstore.
It was in Biography, next to the Secretary of State's instead of in
Earth Science.

Surpisingly, there hasnt been a book-length biography of one of the
giants of seismology.
He doesnt have living relatives so the author had to dig through
diaries and
stories from coworkers. Sounds like a quirky guy who'd fit right into
this newsgroup.
The book interweaves the history of southern California seismology
institutions like
Caltech and the Geodetic Survey. Women had a role in these from the
beginning.
I enjoyed anecdotes about people I know in these stories.
I liked the chapter about what seismology was like before people like
Richter
imposed quantitative standards. Its seems more scary when its hard to
describe
what happens in a quake.
I recommend reading this book for the story of Richter and the people
around him.

Of course I know that. Sometimes this newsgroup focuses
on personalties rather than content, so I didnt mention that.
I'm sure Sue was wondering when people would discuss
her interesting new book here.

(Richter was not the only scientist, past and present,
who fell/falls somewhere on the Asperger's spectrum!)

And if any
readers are up in the Bay Area, I'll be talking about Charlie in
person at Kepler's books in Menlo Park this Thursday evening.
Susan

Susan wrote:
(Richter was not the only scientist, past and present,
who fell/falls somewhere on the Asperger's spectrum!)

I think it takes a measure of social noncomprehension and monomania on a
topic to liberate the time to study and produce anything intensely
intellectual, and this becomes a self-feeding cycle. Not to disparage
people who have biologically based disorders, but much of what I've read
on high ability Asperger's as well as association with some such
individuals lends me to think it is a suite of coping mechanisms as much
as anything. And the world is richer for it, though the individual may
not be personally happy campers.

Susan, you could label your book tour "Travels with Charlie." *|

If you're in the Pasadena area this Friday you can come hear about
Charlie for free:


On Friday, March 9th at 7:00 PM the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Pasadena Office will continue their free Public Lecture Series. The
next presentation, entitled "Charles Richter: The Man Behind the
Scale, and the Women Behind the Man.", will be given by Dr. Susan
Hough of the USGS Pasadena Office.

Charles Richter was known among his colleagues as
unconventional, and even eccentric. Who was the man behind the scale?
Come find out!

This lecture is free and begins at 7 PM in Vosloh Forum at
Pasadena City College in Pasadena. There is plenty of free parking
available in Lots 7 and 8.


For more info. see http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/sca/lectures/
or
call 626-583-7823.

If you're in the Pasadena area this Friday you can come hear about
Charlie for free:

Susan wrote:
If you're in the Pasadena area this Friday you can come hear about
Charlie for free:

On Friday, March 9th at 7:00 PM the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Pasadena Office will continue their free Public Lecture Series. The
next presentation, entitled "Charles Richter: The Man Behind the
Scale, and the Women Behind the Man.", will be given by Dr. Susan
Hough of the USGS Pasadena Office.

Charles Richter was known among his colleagues as
unconventional, and even eccentric. Who was the man behind the scale?
Come find out!

This lecture is free and begins at 7 PM in Vosloh Forum at
Pasadena City College in Pasadena. There is plenty of free parking
available in Lots 7 and 8.

For more info. seehttp://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/sca/lectures/
or
call 626-583-7823.

Susan, do you happen to know if they're planning to save the talk as a
podcast or the streaming video they do sometimes? It'd be nice to
listen for those of us in the Midwest blizzard country.

On Mar 3, 8:43 pm, "J. F. Cornwall" <JCornw...@cox.net> wrote:

Susan wrote:

If you're in the Pasadena area this Friday you can come hear about
Charlie for free:

On Friday, March 9th at 7:00 PM the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Pasadena Office will continue their free Public Lecture Series. The
next presentation, entitled "Charles Richter: The Man Behind the
Scale, and the Women Behind the Man.", will be given by Dr. Susan
Hough of the USGS Pasadena Office.

Charles Richter was known among his colleagues as
unconventional, and even eccentric. Who was the man behind the scale?
Come find out!

This lecture is free and begins at 7 PM in Vosloh Forum at
Pasadena City College in Pasadena. There is plenty of free parking
available in Lots 7 and 8.

For more info. seehttp://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/sca/lectures/
or
call 626-583-7823.

Susan, do you happen to know if they're planning to save the talk as a
podcast or the streaming video they do sometimes? It'd be nice to
listen for those of us in the Midwest blizzard country.


The USGS in Menlo Park has the capability to do live video streaming.
As is often the case, us Pasadena chickens don't have quite the same
resources. But at the moment we do have the talents of a young
videographer who works as a volunteer in the office. I think he will
be putting together a video version of my talk. If anyone is
interested in a copy, drop me a note (hough - at - gps.caltech.edu).
Susan